"Not unemployment ... in many cases, we have more than full employment," Saifur said while exchanging views with members of the Economic Reporters Forum at a pre-budget meeting at his Secretariat office.

The minister made the remark when asked about the government plan in the next budget to create jobs for the unemployed.

Substantiating his claim, Saifur said agriculture sector is suffering from an acute crisis of manpower in recent days. "If any one travels through Comilla and Brahmanbaria districts, he will witness that there are no workers for harvesting crops."

The minister mentioned that in the past, people from Kishoreganj used to go to Sylhet for jobs but it has stopped now as factories have been set up in that district.

Moreover, the government is looking for suitable people for many of its projects but it is not getting. Even workers for digging soil are not available, he said.

Purchasing capacity of general people has now increased, Saifur thought.

"I think people of Bangladesh are now living in a better condition compared to people of many Indian states like Rajsthan and Kerala," he said. " In my view, our people no longer give the impression of being from a typical third world country."

He went on, "Bangladesh is doing well compared to many countries if we consider its very small size and a huge population."

About 97 per cent children go to schools, and the government provides scholarship for about one crore girl students, he said.

Like the US and many European countries, Saifur said, Bangladesh is turning into a caring state day by day.